The Warriors started the 2009–10 season with a brutal 2–7 record. Not exactly the bright future fans were hoping for when they drafted Stephen Curry second overall.
Meanwhile, the Knicks were suddenly hot, winning five straight, and it was all thanks to their unexpected franchise savior: Lin Yi, the No. 1 pick.
So naturally, Warriors fans started wondering, Hey, if Lin Yi can carry a dumpster fire like the Knicks, why can't Curry do the same for us?
Fair question.
After all, Lin and Steph had been tight back in college. The Shooting Stars, people called them. Two kids who could shoot the lights out and never backed down.
But things changed fast.
Golden State treated Steph well, sure—he got the spotlight right away—but the expectations were through the roof. And that 2–7 start? Fans weren't having it.
Worse still, Curry and Monta Ellis together on defense were a train wreck. Calling them porous would be putting it kindly. Forget All-Star potential—opposing guards were eating them alive.
Offensively, Curry was doing fine. Smooth jumper, good feel, showing flashes. But fans don't care about flashes when you're losing. And after the Warriors' iconic playoff run a few years back, the fanbase had tasted magic—and now? Now, it was pain.
The thing is, the Warriors' roster wasn't bad on paper. Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, and Steph Curry? That's three legit scorers.
But the team still sucked.
Steph? He was miserable. The losses were getting to him. Some media folks were even calling him a defensive liability. Monta Ellis, that ball hog, clearly didn't trust him. And Steph? He was starting to doubt himself, too.
He couldn't help but envy Lin Yi. Not just the numbers Lin was putting up, but the vibe. New York was alive again, riding a wave of hype, and the whole league was paying attention.
Steph wanted that.
As Lin said, "I play for something bigger- team glory."
Steph agreed. But damn… glory felt far away right now.
Before the season even started, the two of them had made a promise: "Next time we meet, we go at it for real. No holding back."
And now?
Lin Yi was the cornerstone of the Knicks.
Steph? He wasn't even the second option. Maggette had that locked down.
...
November 12th, 2009
The Warriors flew into New York a night early.
Steph dropped his bags at the hotel and dipped out. Too wired to sleep.
He found Lin at a cozy little café called the Rose Garden. No media. Just them.
Lin took one look at him and knew. "Rough week, huh?"
Steph slumped into the chair. "You could say that."
They didn't talk ball right away. Lin knew better. Steph hadn't even been active in their group chat lately. Hadn't logged into LOL in days. For Steph, that was a red flag.
No need to rush it.
Lin already knew what was going on. He'd checked the schedule—Warriors vs. Knicks tomorrow night.
And he knew the real problem: Steph and Monta Ellis were oil and water.
Separate? They could maybe survive.
Together? Defensive liability squared.
Even though Lin had worked with Steph over the summer on improving his D, it wasn't magic. Defense takes time. Footwork, reads, instinct—you don't build that overnight.
And honestly, Monta was barely a star, at least in Lin's book. Certainly not All-Star level.
Sure, Ellis was putting up numbers—25.7 points per game on 23 shots—but...
"There's a difference between taking shots and taking the right shots," Lin said, sipping his coffee.
Steph nodded. "Tell that to Monta. He thinks he's Kobe."
Lin raised an eyebrow. "Kobe passes when he has to. Monta just... shoots."
Steph laughed bitterly. "You know he's taking more threes than me?"
"Yeah," Lin smirked. "Even though you're the better shooter."
Steph blinked. "You checked my numbers?"
"Of course," Lin said. "You're averaging 17.2 points on 47% shooting, off just 12.4 attempts a game. You're being efficient... but underused."
Steph sighed. "They want me to run the offense like Nash. But Ellis is out there doing his own thing."
Lin leaned forward. "That's not on you. Nelson's system is old school. He wants you to be Nash, but won't give you the keys."
Steph shook his head. "It's frustrating, man. I wanna prove myself. I wanna win. I don't wanna be some feel-good rookie story."
Lin smiled. "Good. Because tomorrow, I'm going all out."
Steph looked up. "You serious?"
Lin leaned back. "You bet. I want to see where you're at. And I want you to feel what it takes to level up."
Steph's eyes narrowed. "You're not gonna go easy on me?"
"Nope."
"Then I won't either."
They both grinned.
Lin knew Curry needed this. Adversity sharpens stars.
If Lin could give him the needed pressure, maybe he'd hit that next gear sooner.
Because Steph Curry wasn't just a good player.
He was the future greatest shooter of alltime.
....
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